| February 2007 - Issue 10 |
eleventh.transmission
arts, culture, media, activism
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the respective
owner. Nothing
may be reproduced
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EVENT RECAP
Amnesty International 8th Annual Arts Jam
by Twyla Kowalchuk
The Amnesty International 8th Annual Arts Jam informed and entertained Calgarians through a frosty Saturday night
on Jan. 6. as approximately 175 people showed support for the human rights organization and enjoyed a variety of
local musicians, artists, and a dance troupe.
“It was one of the best Arts Jams we've had as far as line-up, enthusiasm, and flow is concerned,” said organizer
Candace Elder. Shelly Brodie, Amnesty Calgary’s new Activism coordinator, said the event is about getting a more
visible presence for the campaigns as well as mobilizing individuals.
At the door, people were given four post cards to sign and submit, which will be sent to various government officials.
One post card contained a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to provide sustained funding to women’s
organizations that run shelters.
Amnesty’s goal was to get 900 postcards signed but due to low audience turnout, they only collected 600. Elder
attributed the small number “to the fact that the High Performance Rodeo is drawing in bigger and bigger crowds
and the Pumphouse location can be difficult to get to.”
Mark Baran, who recently returned from an internship in Namibia, managed to find the theatre and was impressed
by what he learned of Amnesty’s work. “It’s a good initiative to raise people’s global awareness, and it’s
encouraging that they give support to people in prison - that’s powerful,” said Baran.
Before the Jam began and during the intermission people perused the art work of Naomi Yamamoto and snacked
on freshly made samosas and baklava made by EthniCity Catering. Emcee David Ward, from CKUA, introduced
each act and spoke about current Amnesty campaigns.
The first act was high-energy, Jewish, party band Klezmerovitz, whose front man Allan Merovitz had the audience
dancing and clapping to traditional old-country tunes in between eerily melodic songs. Next Anne Loree performed
her soft country-esque songs. Beside her, Steve Pineo strummed his guitar in their first musical collaboration.
Loree’s songs questioned progress and expansion and she ended with the statement, “Stop shopping! Resist!”
Canadian indie-pop singer Aaron Booth stood out amongst three members of Woodpigeon in his pink blazer for the
third act. His voice had a tragic note that fit perfectly with the keyboard and violin accompaniment.
After the intermission there was a startling performance by the dance company Corps Bara. Five writhing female
bodies struggled against one another and were strewn across the stage to a classical music piece. It ended with
one dancer plunging her hands into a bowl of water that represented freedom.
For something completely different, Tim Hus, the Canadiana cowboy, sang stories of his travels while the heel of his
boot swiveled in time. Spoken word artist Jocelyn Grosse recited several poems before the last act, Lorrie
Matheson, swayed about on stage to his morose melodies.
Matheson put down his guitar for the final song, done a cappella, about a love whose whereabouts were unknown.
When it ended Matheson walked unceremoniously off stage as the big red curtain closed and the night ended.
Biography
Twyla Kowalchuk spent her early childhood playing outdoors in Edmonton. She grew up in Cochrane and disliked
the small town so much she fled to England after she graduated high school. A year later she returned to Alberta,
completed her English degree at the U of C then flew away to Taiwan. There she taught English for a year, took a
year off to travel India and South East Asia, and then taught for another year in Taiwan. Sadly she speaks only
minimal Mandarin. At this moment, Twyla is just over half way through her Journalism certificate program at Mount
Royal College. She writes regularly for the Calgary Journal and occassionally for Mount Royal's Reflector.
Amnesty International 8th Annual Arts Jam
by Twyla Kowalchuk
The Amnesty International 8th Annual Arts Jam informed and entertained Calgarians through a frosty Saturday night
on Jan. 6. as approximately 175 people showed support for the human rights organization and enjoyed a variety of
local musicians, artists, and a dance troupe.
“It was one of the best Arts Jams we've had as far as line-up, enthusiasm, and flow is concerned,” said organizer
Candace Elder. Shelly Brodie, Amnesty Calgary’s new Activism coordinator, said the event is about getting a more
visible presence for the campaigns as well as mobilizing individuals.
At the door, people were given four post cards to sign and submit, which will be sent to various government officials.
One post card contained a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to provide sustained funding to women’s
organizations that run shelters.
Amnesty’s goal was to get 900 postcards signed but due to low audience turnout, they only collected 600. Elder
attributed the small number “to the fact that the High Performance Rodeo is drawing in bigger and bigger crowds
and the Pumphouse location can be difficult to get to.”
Mark Baran, who recently returned from an internship in Namibia, managed to find the theatre and was impressed
by what he learned of Amnesty’s work. “It’s a good initiative to raise people’s global awareness, and it’s
encouraging that they give support to people in prison - that’s powerful,” said Baran.
Before the Jam began and during the intermission people perused the art work of Naomi Yamamoto and snacked
on freshly made samosas and baklava made by EthniCity Catering. Emcee David Ward, from CKUA, introduced
each act and spoke about current Amnesty campaigns.
The first act was high-energy, Jewish, party band Klezmerovitz, whose front man Allan Merovitz had the audience
dancing and clapping to traditional old-country tunes in between eerily melodic songs. Next Anne Loree performed
her soft country-esque songs. Beside her, Steve Pineo strummed his guitar in their first musical collaboration.
Loree’s songs questioned progress and expansion and she ended with the statement, “Stop shopping! Resist!”
Canadian indie-pop singer Aaron Booth stood out amongst three members of Woodpigeon in his pink blazer for the
third act. His voice had a tragic note that fit perfectly with the keyboard and violin accompaniment.
After the intermission there was a startling performance by the dance company Corps Bara. Five writhing female
bodies struggled against one another and were strewn across the stage to a classical music piece. It ended with
one dancer plunging her hands into a bowl of water that represented freedom.
For something completely different, Tim Hus, the Canadiana cowboy, sang stories of his travels while the heel of his
boot swiveled in time. Spoken word artist Jocelyn Grosse recited several poems before the last act, Lorrie
Matheson, swayed about on stage to his morose melodies.
Matheson put down his guitar for the final song, done a cappella, about a love whose whereabouts were unknown.
When it ended Matheson walked unceremoniously off stage as the big red curtain closed and the night ended.
Biography
Twyla Kowalchuk spent her early childhood playing outdoors in Edmonton. She grew up in Cochrane and disliked
the small town so much she fled to England after she graduated high school. A year later she returned to Alberta,
completed her English degree at the U of C then flew away to Taiwan. There she taught English for a year, took a
year off to travel India and South East Asia, and then taught for another year in Taiwan. Sadly she speaks only
minimal Mandarin. At this moment, Twyla is just over half way through her Journalism certificate program at Mount
Royal College. She writes regularly for the Calgary Journal and occassionally for Mount Royal's Reflector.
